1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite image creation assist apparatus and a composite image creation assist method, and in particular, relates to an apparatus and a method for assisting the creation of a composite image using images of other users. In addition, the invention relates to a non-transitory computer readable recording medium on which a composite image creation assist program causing a computer to execute such a composite image creation assist method is recorded.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, composite image creation assist services for automatically creating the data of a composite image, such as a photo book or a collage, using an image group of each user created in a social networking service (SNS) have been provided.
By using the composite image creation assist services, even if the user himself or herself does not select and lay out images, a main character, an event, and the like are automatically extracted from the image group created in the SNS, and the selection and arrangement of images suitable for a composite image are performed.
However, images that can be used for the composite image are limited to the image group created by the user himself or herself and held in the SNS, and image groups created in the SNS by other users cannot be used. For example, when a user tries to create a photo book relevant to an event in a school or workplace, if the user can use not only the image group that the user himself or herself holds but also images that classmates, colleagues, and the like hold, it is possible to create a valuable photo book, and this is convenient.
Therefore, JP2006-11649A discloses an electronic album creating apparatus that creates an electronic album including images captured by multiple users by making each user transmit an image to the email address issued for each electronic album.
When the representative of multiple users participating in the creation of an electronic album registers that an electronic album is to be created by inputting the deadline information relevant to the electronic album creation, permission information specifying each user, and instruction information relevant to image selection, image arrangement, and information addition, images are selected from the images, which have been transmitted from each user to the email address assigned by the managing server, according to the instruction information, and the electronic album is created.